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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

PT Did Hayden do a good job as Anakin?

Discussion in 'Prequel Trilogy' started by Rotticus, Oct 25, 2012.

  1. PiettsHat

    PiettsHat Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 1, 2011
    You know, I've always wondered if it wouldn't have helped to release the films only one year apart, like the Lord of the Rings films did. Obviously this would have been impossible, but I've always found that the PT is really bolstered when you watch it together, as a whole trilogy, rather than as individual films. That's one of the things that I think the OT really has going for it is that each film is not as dependent on the previous films. Not nearly as much carries over from film to film which, with a three year wait between films, would make them easier to enjoy.

    I say this because the first time I watched the films, I watched them back to back to back, etc. So I really got to see the entire trajectory of Anakin's arc in one go, essentially. It really helped me, personally, to get into the films. You realize a lot of things when you view them like that -- Palpatine's machinations for one, since you can see how he had been planning his coup for over a decade.

    That's just something I wondered about, anyway.
     
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  2. Valairy Scot

    Valairy Scot Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 16, 2005
    I wouldn't call Anakin an "obnoxious jerk" myself, but I have to admit AoTC (unfortunately) largely informed my personal viewpoint of Anakin. TPM doesn't count for me - kid, different actor. RoTS - AoTC left a bad taste in my mouth.

    I'm not endorsing the concept of "charismatic" or "likeable" because, well, we might all define such differently.

    AoTC Anakin was not ENOUGH "good man" to balance the "angry, angsty adolescent." IMHO.

    In that sense, I agree with the posters who say how much greater/tragic his fall when he starts out as an ordinary guy with lofty ideals and a few flaws that eventually pull him under. As portrayed, Anakin's fall was laughably telegraphed as all too obvious, though I admit this view may be biased by the fact of seeing the OT long before and knowing his path to self-destruction.
     
  3. FunintheSun

    FunintheSun Jedi Padawan

    Registered:
    Nov 6, 2011


    I liked that scene. He did seem genuine to me, he looked shocked then truly happy, unlike our loveable Padme, who looked and sounded like she was about to go to sleep. Now IMO, a scene that could have used a bit more emotion was when Palpatine told him he was appointing him on the Council. He didn’t look excited then. I don’t mean over the top, just a bit more reactive to finding out he was going to be a master, especially since that’s what he wanted.



    Not to mention Ian and Ewan had well developed characters to portray and didn’t have janky lines to deliver. Honestly, it sounded like some of the lines for Anakin and Padme were made up on the set. They really did have their work cut out for them.



    I agree 784%. I don’t understand how people bash Hayden for whining when Mark did THE SAME THING. Or Hayden’s ROTS acting being weak when Harrison’s was just as bad in ROTJ, if not worse. Harrison was terrible in ROTJ and Carrie was neck and neck with him.
     
  4. Arawn_Fenn

    Arawn_Fenn Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Jul 2, 2004
    AOTC and ROTS, specifically, feel like two halves of the same film, partly due to consistent casting.
     
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  5. Darth Vito

    Darth Vito Jedi Padawan

    Registered:
    Dec 1, 2012
    Hayden probably did just as well as anyone could. I think the problem was the direction Lucas went with the character. I feel like he was never fully developed... he should have been a noble Jedi warrior who was "seduced by the Dark Side"; not a whiny, arrogant kid who just happened to be gifted with great power, and then flipped out when everyone didn't bow to him. I didn't buy the love story at all... it was lifeless and awkward.

    We needed to be able to identify with Anakin at some point, to understand him on a deeper level. That never happened, so he was a weak character. Sure Luke was whiny, but he had dreams and ambition. He was smart, courageous, and full of energy. He stepped up when the time came and risked his life for the greater good. Anakin just came across as bland and depressing.
     
  6. -NaTaLie-

    -NaTaLie- Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 5, 2001
    If he was seduced by the Dark Side, then he can't be 100% noble. It means he has a good side, and a bad side, and character flaws that make him more susceptible to the Dark side than Luke is (arrogance and desire to have more power are some of them).

    That's not how it happened.

    It could have been handled better, but the root cause (Anakin's obsession with Padme and inability to let go) is there.

    Anakin and Luke are very similar. The main difference is, due to various factors, Luke manages to make the right choice while Anakin doesn't (not until the very end).
     
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  7. fett 4

    fett 4 Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Jan 2, 2000
    Pretty much agreed with this. Hayden was not great but he did the best he could with what he was given. Also once you have him killing children, killing Dooku is simply not as shocking or tragic while killing more children just makes him more of a pyscho.
    It also did not help having Anakin as a 9yr old for the first film so having to get a completely new actor for the next 2 films.
     
  8. -NaTaLie-

    -NaTaLie- Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 5, 2001
    He didn't kill children before he killed Dooku. Ok, tuskens, but it's mostly off screen.
     
  9. Cantina Bassist

    Cantina Bassist Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 5, 2012
    Racist!
     
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  10. -NaTaLie-

    -NaTaLie- Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 5, 2001
    More like monster hater ;)
     
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  11. Cantina Bassist

    Cantina Bassist Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 5, 2012
    You're a raging anti-Tuskenite!
     
  12. THE PortmanLuvva

    THE PortmanLuvva Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    Oct 26, 2012
    I think he did a brilliant job as Anakin. I don't think they could of picked a better person to play both a good guy and in the end someone who was so dark and messed up.
    His subtle mixed emotion looks also add to his character and the uncertainty (in his eyes) of his future.
     
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  13. -NaTaLie-

    -NaTaLie- Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 5, 2001
    I sure had a lot of fun killing them in Jedi Knight.
     
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  14. Felicia

    Felicia Jedi Master star 3

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    Dec 3, 2012
    I believe that Hayden did the best that he could with the script that he was given. The duologue was not that great but he held it together pretty well. He did extremely well in Sith where he had to display a broad range of emotions.Good job on that Hayden.
     
  15. Ambervikings91

    Ambervikings91 Jedi Knight star 3

    Registered:
    Dec 1, 2012
    I thought he was alright other than than the romance scenes, he really seemed out of place in those scenes
     
  16. Force.Child

    Force.Child Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Dec 7, 2012
    Ewan/Obi-Wan are my fave, but I can't really see anyone else playing Anakin. I don't like the way Hayden "mumbles" but his portrayal of Anakin was great.
     
  17. King Terak

    King Terak Jedi Knight star 1

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    Nov 22, 2012
    Unfortunately, we did not have enough time in the movies to show Anakin's heroism. The novels showed it to an extent, esp his selfless attitude that was shown at times in the Clone Wars material, but even then he rushed into alot of situations before thinking about them.
     
  18. Julius Vernon

    Julius Vernon Jedi Knight star 3

    Registered:
    Nov 7, 2012
    I think the fact that we're having this discussion says that the performance wasn't perfect. In order for an actor to accomplish his/her job I think you need to walk away from the film without them being the focal point. If we walk away saying "he was awful" or "she was great" then they haven't delivered a perfect performance because their performance became the focal point rather than the film itself.

    I would say it's a little different if you're actually concentrating on that person's performance. If that's what you want to pay attention to then of course they'll stick out - for good or bad.

    Whether Hayden was "bad" because of his owning acting limitations, or George's dialogue, or George's direction can be left to debate; but the fact that we need to discuss it makes me think his performance was flawed.
     
  19. only one kenobi

    only one kenobi Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Nov 18, 2012
    Thing is, why didn't we have enough time? Parts of the storyline of AOTC seems, in many ways, unnecessary. There was no need to 'foreshadow' his fall - I mean , we are lead to believe with Luke in ROTJ, and Obi-Wan in TPM, that killing in anger, with hatred is to fall to the darkside but that is exactly what Anakin does on Tatooine. What gives? AOTC could have been used to reveal the heroic, good man that Anakin was supposed to be.

    I think GL sums up how he missed that opportunity when he says that he chose Hayden for the brooding darkness he felt he could bring to the part. He's already looking at Anakin falling - one episode too early. There is no need to foreshadow the fall, simply set up the pieces for it.

    As for whether Hayden did a good job.... he was hamstrung, I think, by the lines and the role he was given.
     
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  20. Count Yubnub

    Count Yubnub Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 1, 2012
    I think that an actor does his/her job if he/she does what the director tells them, and/or can embody what the director and writer have in mind for the character. In this case, I suspect that the fact that people have this discussion just indicates that some people didn't like what the director/writer had in mind for the character.
     
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  21. Julius Vernon

    Julius Vernon Jedi Knight star 3

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    Nov 7, 2012
    This I can agree with. I stated things as if it were Hayden's fault, I shouldn't have. I've always felt like any shortcomings (particularly in the "I killed them, all of them" scene) were due to direction. But I think in the end there are issues, they may be Hayden's or they may be George's.
     
  22. only one kenobi

    only one kenobi Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 18, 2012
    Ha ha.. it can be debated but that it can be debated means that his performance must be flawed? That is some great rhetoric; slightly circular, skewed but difficult to put down without over-exposition. Bravo.
     
  23. Julius Vernon

    Julius Vernon Jedi Knight star 3

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    Nov 7, 2012
    Not circular at all. The point that I said could be debated was "why it was flawed" not that it "was flawed."
     
  24. only one kenobi

    only one kenobi Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Nov 18, 2012
    My apologies, your later post pointed out that you weren't blaming the actor necessarily - its just that the way you wrote the sentence does seem to suggest that it is the actor you blame, as in "....makes me think his performance was flawed".
     
  25. Julius Vernon

    Julius Vernon Jedi Knight star 3

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    Nov 7, 2012
    That's fair, I shouldn't have stated it that way.